


Reunited

by freudensteins_monster



Category: Norse Religion & Lore, Thor - All Media Types
Genre: Arranged Marriage, Author Is Sleep Deprived, Childhood Friends, Developing Relationship, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fic Giveaway, Fluff and Humor, Loki gets the girl, Loki x Reader - Freeform, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Political Alliances, Romantic Fluff, Tumblr Ask Box Fic, or technically the girl gets Loki, written for a contest winner
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-21
Updated: 2015-08-21
Packaged: 2018-04-16 10:52:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4622592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/freudensteins_monster/pseuds/freudensteins_monster
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You are a princess of Alfheim and it has been centuries since you have seen your childhood friend, Prince Loki of Asgard. When the Asgardian royal family visit Alfheim to reinstate a peace treaty between your two realms, you are excited and nervous to see him again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reunited

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a prompt from queenlokiofasgard who won my recent tumblr follower milestone fic giveaway comp.   
> Edited on only a few hours sleep, please forgive any errors. xoxox

Alfheim had once had a close alliance with Asgard, and their respective monarchs a close friendship. The Allfather and Queen Frigga visited Alfheim once every few years, and your parents – the king and queen of Alfheim – visited the Realm Eternal with the same regularity. At least they did until 500 years ago, when trade disagreements and small disputes between unshared allies strained relations, and then they snapped. You had not been permitted to visit Asgard since. 

You didn’t miss the realm itself, not really. It was too loud and crowded, full of buildings (beautiful buildings, certainly) packed tightly together, and not nearly enough natural landscapes for your liking. No, what you missed most about visiting Asgard was Prince Loki. Your friendship had started centuries before when your parents took you to Asgard with them for the first time. You had both been clinging to your mothers skirts, eying each other nervously, until your nursemaids came to drag you both away to play in the gardens. The moment the nursemaids turned their backs, Prince Loki took your hand in his and lead you away from them to hide in a tree, where you both stayed giggling silently whilst the nursemaids conducted their frantic search. You had been best friends from that moment on.

Years might have passed between visits but the moment you saw each other you again you would just pick up where you left off the last time. The moment Prince Loki would set foot on Alfheim you would grab his hand and together you would escape the drudgery of politics to get into mischief, aging your nursemaids by centuries by the time it came for Prince Loki to return home. You had shared everything with him: all your favourite things, all your favourite places. You truly had no secrets, for your shared everything with Prince Loki, and he shared everything with you. When your parents cut ties, it was devastating to be refused contact with him. For the first few years you remained hopeful that one day soon Alfheim and Asgard would mend their relationship, but as the decades passed you had to accept the fact that you had lost your only friend.

Life went on, and with your studies – both standard education and “princess lessons”, as you had dubbed them – you soon found yourself only thinking of Prince Loki on rare occasions, and then only with only the smallest twinge of nostalgia, not the painful misery of a heartbroken child. When the day came when your father announced that a treaty was to be struck with Asgard, and that the Asgardian royal family was to return to Alfheim to discuss it, you were indifferent at first, but as their arrival drew near your found that Prince Loki was never far from your mind. How much had he changed? How much had you? You had barely been an adolescence the last time you saw each other and now you were a woman of sixteen hundred, and he seventeen. Could you simply pick up where you left off so many years ago, or did growing up mean never having that sweet, simple friendship again? It was the latter, you feared, but it didn’t stop you growing more anxious as the Asgardians arrival drew nearer.

 

“The day is upon us, m’lady. Up you get.”

You groaned as your matron threw open the curtains, bathing you in sunlight. You’d been so nervous for today that it had only been an hour prior that you had finally fallen asleep.

“Just a little while longer, Matron,” you mumbled drowsily, rolling away from the sunlight that streamed across my bed.

“Now, m’lady. The Asgardians will be here within the hour and we must have you looking presentable.”

You lay there, unmoving, barely having heard her, and it wasn’t until she started to pull the sheets from you that you relented and stumbled towards your bathroom. Once you had relieved yourself a small army of handmaidens descended upon you and dragged you into the bathtub. They scrub you raw and washed your hair with potent smelling concoctions, dumping a bowl of cold water over your head – without warning – to rinse it out. Then you were dragged out, and dried and powered, primed and preened. You loathed every second of it; you felt like a prized cow being prepared for market. Which wasn’t far from the truth you feared.

You sighed as you took in your reflection. You had to admit your handmaidens did good work. You looked luminous and beautiful, not at all like the exhausted, nervous wreck you were.

A handmaiden rushed in and bobbed excitedly. “They’re here, your majesty.”

“Alright, off with you,” Matron ordered, shooing the rest of the girls away. “Back to your duties. Ensure the guest suites are ready.”

Matron helped you into your shoes and you followed her out, but the moment Matron turned a corner you went the other way, heading up the nearest stairwell. You stepped out onto a small balcony, from which you could see the main courtyard. The Asgardian party was arriving in all their finery, the two princes riding in front on steeds of black and white. Prince Thor was like the sun, huge and blindingly brilliant, but Prince Loki drew your attention like the gravitational pull of the moon. He was taller – that was your first thought upon seeing your childhood friend. And he seemed to be more serious, and sadder somehow. They dismounted and you leaned out as far as you dared, hoping to hear his voice again.

“Why aren’t you more excited, brother? I had thought the idea of seeing that girl of yours again would have made you giddy,” Thor laughed.

“When, in all my seventeen hundred years have you known me to be ‘giddy’?” Loki replied testily. “And she’s hardly ‘my girl’. We were forced to play together as children, being of a similar age. And what choice did I have when you insisted on ditching me every chance you got to go play war with your friends.”

“Well,” Thor shrugged. “Light elves are such fragile things, she would not have survived the games my friends and I played. And I doubt she’s changed much,” he added, glancing about at some of the female household staff dismissively. “Probably still the delicate little doll she was, too dainty to hold a sword or quaff a pint of ale.”

“I’d advise against voicing your opinions so loudly in her realm, brother. You might not make it home,” Loki teased.

“Noted, brother,” Thor laughed.

They turned to gather beside their parents, but as they did Loki caught sight of you on the balcony and saw you looking absolutely heartbroken. You stepped back inside and down the stairs, back under the watchful eye of Matron, who followed you to the throne room where you took your position beside your parents.

 _Forced to play together._ That’s what Loki had said. _Forced._ How could he say that? You pushed your feelings down and put on a blank expression as the visiting royals were announced and strode into the throne room. The Allfather, with Queen Frigga on his arm, in front, and their sons walking close behind. Introductions were made and you curtseyed when you’re name was mention but apart from that you were numb and motionless. You tried to not pay Loki any attention but out of the corner of your eye you could see him fidgeting beside his mother. You bit back a snort as he pulled at the collar of his tunic, taking some small measure of delight in his discomfort. The Asgardian men were dressed in their best clothes, consisting of naught but leather and armour – had it been so long that they had forgotten the warmth of an Alfheim summer? It seems a person could forget a lot of things, you thought bitterly.

Eventually the formalities were over and you were tasked with showing the princes their rooms.

“You look well, princess. And might I say you have grown into a fine, young woman,” Thor babbled, when the silence became too much for him.

“Thank you, Prince Thor,” you replied flatly, knowing he didn’t mean a word of it. “These are your rooms, I hope you find them to your liking. If there is anything you require one of your attendants will be happy to assist you. Good day.”

You walked away before another word could be said, having no interest for their false flatteries. You were able to avoid your guests until evening meal when a large feast was held in their honour. You sat on your mother’s left, opposite the princes, but did not look up from your plate. Your mother cleared her throat in a deliberate fashion, hoping to catch your attention.

“Yes, mother?”

“The Allmother asked you a question, dear.”

“Apologies, Allmother. My mind was elsewhere.”

“I was simply asking how you were,” Frigga said kindly. “It has been so long since we saw each other last.”

“I am well, Allmother. Thank you for asking. And yes, it has been many years, but you look exactly as I remember; a vision so lovely that the stars glow with envy.”

“And you are as sweet as ever,” Frigga laughed. “You have raised a fine daughter,” she added, praising your mother.

“And your sons have grown into handsome young men,” your mother replied.

“That they have,” Frigga smiled proudly. “But as we wish them to become great leaders as well they will be joining their father for the treaty negotiations. I apologise for depriving you and Loki of time together, I’m sure you were both looking forward to seeing each other again.”

“Nonsense, Allmother. We are no longer children, and must forgo childish needs.”  

You glanced at Loki then, who avoided your pointed stare, before returning your attention to your meal.

You excused yourself from dinner as soon as you could and retreated to your room, holding in your emotions until your handmaidens finished readying you for bed, and once finally alone you allowed yourself to cry.

 

Throughout the next few days, whilst the men busied themselves arguing over the terms of the peace treaty, you kept yourself busy playing hostess and organising the palace staff, when your mother was otherwise engaged. As such you only ever saw Prince Loki in passing or when you were obliged to sit opposite him at dinner. Occasionally your resolve would crumble and you would try to engage him in polite conversation, but only ever received monosyllabic answers in reply. By the fourth night your frustration grew to fever pitch, but that may have had something to do with the rising temperatures. You tossed and turned for hours before abandoning your bed, book in hand, in favour of cool seat beside the lake at the rear of the palace. You took a seat at the base of a tree, revelling in the light caress of the breeze, already feeling calmer. You read by moonlight for several minutes before an inconsistent splashing sound began to chip away at your nerves. At first you had through it was simply a bird alighting upon the water but when it refused to cease you got up and looked across the lake to see the tall, pale form of Prince Loki swimming near the opposite bank. At first you were furious with him for intruding, but you quickly decided that it was an opportunity for an honest conversation. You circled the lake, your bare feet inaudible on the soft grass, and gripped your book a little tighter to your chest as you watched Prince Loki step out of the lake, oblivious to your presence. He was completely naked, water dripping down his marble-like flesh. You had seen men in different stages of undress before - Light Elves were not as concerned with modesty as Asgardians seemed to be – but to see your childhood friend in such a new way was confusing and brought a blush to your cheeks. He stepped into his trousers and as he moved to pull his tunic over his head you made your presence known.

“Nice night for a swim,” you said as loudly as you dared. The prince almost jumped out his skin, losing his footing in the mud and stumbling backwards into the lake, still blinded by his tunic. He thrashed about for a moment before finally pulling his tunic down and gasping for breath. He looked like a drowned rat and you couldn’t stop the laughter bubbling away in your chest from escaping.

“It’s not funny,” Prince Loki grumbled, glaring at you as you were near doubled over with laughter.

“Oh, it’s a little funny,” you giggled. You tried to catch your breath as Prince Loki dragged himself out of the lake. “I must admit I’m surprised to find you here. I would have thought you still feared the many-tentacled monster that lives in it,” you teased, reminding him of a prank you played on him the last time he visited your realm. You regretted mentioning it immediately, for Prince Loki’s expression darkened, his eyes shining mischievously – you remembered that look all too well. “No! Loki, no!” you shouted as the soaking wet Asgardian advanced, smiling wickedly. “Don’t you dare!” You threw your book out of harm’s way and tried to run, but he caught you easily, chuckling to himself as he dragged you towards the lake.

“The lake monster demands sacrifice!” he roared as he attempted to throw you into the lake, but you held him tight, squealing in terror, and dragged him in with you.

You gasped for breath as you broke the surface only to be struck in the wave with a wave of water.

“That’s for laughing at me,” Loki advised smugly.

“Well, that’s for being so cruel to me,” you shot back, splashing him. You both sobered up quickly then, Loki’s face dropping as he shifted away from you. You scowled and stomped out of the lake, your nightdress clinging to you. You wrung it out as best you could and retrieved your book, intent on going back to your room, far away from the frustrating and confusing prince. You turned to leave but he stopped you, his hands wrapped around your wrist.

“I didn’t mean it,” he said quietly. “I didn’t mean what I said to Thor when we first arrived. I was never forced to play with you, in fact, I always remember being quite insistent on spending time with you without Thor.”

“Then why say it?” you demanded.

“To save face with my brother,” he replied bashfully. “You recall his penchant for tormenting me? If he had known how I really felt about seeing you again he would have needled me endlessly about it.”

“Emotions are not a weakness, Prince Loki,” you said, shaking your head sadly, noticing how Loki winced ever so slightly at your use of his formal title. “They should be what you draw your strength from; you should not be ashamed of them.”

“I am sorry, princess.”

“Why not tell me sooner, or did you enjoy seeing me hurt?”

“I did not think you would have heard me out.”

“I would not have made it easy for you, no. But you still should have tried. Why didn’t you?” you asked again.

“I supposed it is as you said at dinner - we are no longer children, and must forgo childish needs.”

You weren’t sure what exactly he meant by that, and the way that he was looking at you confused further. You crossed your arms over your chest, feeling strangely self-conscious of the way your wet nightdress was clinging to you.

You walked back to the palace in awkward silence, a generous distance between you. The moment you set foot in the palace proper Matron appeared out of nowhere, just as she had when you were children, glowering with disapproval. With just the slightest nod of her head she dismissed Loki to his chambers before escorting you back to yours.

 

The following day you kept to your chambers, but your efforts to avoid Loki were in vain for shortly after lunch your presence was requested at the treaty negotiations. That could only mean one thing: the joining of the realms through your marriage.

You sat quietly beside your parents as the kings talked about marrying you off as though it was nothing more than a few lines in a contract, like it wasn’t your life. Thor sat miserably beside his father, he had apparently been arguing about this with his father for most of the previous night. You took a breath and glanced in Loki’s direction. He looked absolutely devastated, and in that instant you understood why he was so intent on keeping his distance – he knew he wasn’t going to be the one to marry you. To pretend otherwise, to let himself befriend you again, it would have hurt him too much.

“Then it is agreed, my eldest will marry your eldest, and our houses joined.”

“No.” All eyes turned to you and it took you a moment to realise you had actually said that out loud. You were terrified, your heart racing, but you knew if you didn’t speak your mind now you would regret it for the rest of your days. “No, it is not agreed,” you repeated.

“What is the meaning of this?” your father hissed, furious that you were embarrassing him in front of his guests.

“If I am to marry any of Odin’s sons, it should be Loki.”

“That is not traditional, princess,” Odin reminded you, a strange smile playing on his lips.

“Allfather, I fear we must abandon tradition, and what will look good on paper, for what will be truly best for all parties involved. Thor holds no love for me, he thinks Light Elves too delicate: incapable of holding a sword or their ale – were those not the words you used, your majesty?” you asked Thor, who turned bright red and tried to burrow down into his chair as his father glared at him. “I have no doubt, vows or not, that he will tire of his new bride quickly. And who would I turn to, a lonely girl in a strange land, but my oldest and dearest friend.” You paused for a moment to let the implications of your words sink in. Everyone knew of the rivalries between the two brothers, and adding a woman into the mix would never end well. “Prince Loki and I have a centuries long friendship – a strong foundation on which to build a marriage. To disregard that for the sake of tradition would be folly.”

You fell silent and tried not to let your nerves show as everyone at the table stared at you with a mix of surprise and confusion, except for Loki, who seem surprised and proud. You glanced at your parents and your mother smiled, holding back her laughter, before whispering to your father, “I told you so.”

“Well,” the Allfather said eventually. “It may not be tradition, but I do see the sense in your daughter’s words. Nothing in our agreement would change, but the name of my son – would this be an acceptable match in your eyes?” he asked your father.

He glanced at you, smiled, and nodded. “It is, Allfather.”

“And what of you, Loki? Do you have anything to add before the clerk puts pen to parchment?”

Loki, who had not stopped staring at you since you first addressed the room, chuckled to himself and offered you a brilliant smile that made your heart skip a beat. “Though marriage seems a sudden step after only just being reunited, I agree to the match. If only to keep Thor’s paws off her whilst we get to know each other again.”

Frigga scolded Loki half-heartedly, and Thor almost attempted to lunge at Loki from across the table. The Allfather quickly put a stop to their bickering and sighed wearily, addressing your father.

“Your daughter is very wise, old friend. I believe she will make an excellent addition to our household.”

“She will be sorely missed,” your father admitted, his sincerity of his words almost making you cry. “But enough of contracts and negotiations,” he added, standing and raising his glass, the rest of the table following his lead. “Tonight we celebrate the betrothal of my daughter to Prince Loki of Asgard. May their union be a happy one, blessed with many children.”

You and Loki laughed and blushed as the table emptied their goblets, toasting your future happiness, a gesture that was repeated well into the night. As the festivities wore on you and Loki disappeared from the crowd, as was your old habit, and snuck away to a quiet balcony where you could talk and gaze out at the stars. Matron was never far away, but when Loki took your hands in his you could easily forget there was anyone else in the world.

Loki smiled and kissed you, taking your breath away. He stayed close, his forehead resting against yours as he smiled dreamily. He took your face in your hands and wiped away a stray tear.

“Are you alright?” he asked.

“I’m just so happy,” you gushed. “I’m going to marry my best friend.”


End file.
